Black Road

In Black Road (2016–present, Image), writer Brian Wood and artist Garry Brown craft a gritty, historical saga set in the wilds of 11th-century North America, where a Viking-turned-mercenary navigates the treacherous frontier between Norse settlers and native tribes. Only two issues in, this series from Image Comics channels Wood's signature blend of political tension and survivalist drama, with Brown's raw, textured art grounding the story in a harsh, unromanticized wilderness. It matters as a lean, atmospheric start to a tale that reimagines the Viking exploration of the New World through a lens of moral ambiguity and cultural collision.